New Ekco AI platform aims to boost productivity, improve governance and help organisations meet EU AI Act requirements.
Dublin tech firm Ekco has announced a €4 million investment in the launch of Ekco AI, a new platform designed to help organisations adopt artificial intelligence securely while maintaining visibility and control over how AI is used across the business.
The Dublin-headquartered security-first managed services provider said the platform is designed to address growing concerns around “shadow AI”, where employees use AI applications without formal oversight from their employers.
“Most businesses are no longer asking whether their employees will use AI. They are asking how they can stop that activity becoming a blind spot”
According to Ekco, a typical business environment may have up to 28 AI applications in use, creating potential risks around data handling, governance and compliance.
Boosting productivity … and wisdom
Ekco AI enables organisations to identify which AI applications are being used, establish guardrails, block potentially hazardous tools and reduce the risk of sensitive information being shared through unsanctioned systems.
The company believes the platform can encourage greater adoption of AI across organisations by providing employees and employers with greater confidence in how the technology is used.
Ekco said this could increase employee productivity by more than five hours per week and generate savings of up to €2 million for every €10 million in operating costs.
The platform also includes role-based training for Microsoft Copilot, Claude and other AI tools, alongside awareness training focused on data protection, unsafe practices and AI-related risks.
EU AI Act comes into force
The launch comes shortly after new transparency obligations under the EU AI Act took effect on 2 August 2026, with additional requirements scheduled to follow in 2027 and 2028.
Ekco AI provides an audit trail of AI activity and reporting capabilities for boards, auditors and regulators. The platform’s controls are also designed to support compliance with NIS2 and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) for financial services organisations.
Steve MacNicholas, CEO of Ekco Ireland, said organisations will only realise the full benefits of AI when employees feel confident using it.
“Businesses won’t truly get value from AI until they and their employees feel comfortable using it and experimenting with it. We have seen that organisations who are generous with AI by equipping their leadership teams and employees with tools that will benefit them, excite them, and which are safe, are the ones who have the fewest issues with harmful AI platforms.
“In reality, today’s CIOs don’t always know what AI platforms their employees are using. Ekco AI gives them that oversight and signals any applications that are potentially harmful.”
Cian Prendergast, CEO of Ekco MSP, said businesses are increasingly focused on managing AI use rather than preventing it.
“Most businesses are no longer asking whether their employees will use AI. They are asking how they can stop that activity becoming a blind spot. A blanket ban is not an effective answer because people may simply continue using the tools they already know. Businesses need to give employees approved options, explain the rules and put controls around the data. That is what Ekco AI is designed to do.
“Ultimately, our mission is to safely and securely share our expertise with our customers to give them up to 50% strategic advantage over their competitors within a three-year timeframe.”
The investment reflects growing demand from organisations seeking to balance AI innovation with governance, compliance and cybersecurity requirements as AI adoption accelerates across Irish and European businesses.
Image at top: Steve MacNicholas, CEO of Ekco Ireland
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